Monday, November 24, 2008

Tenth day of Christmas

my true love gave to me... Celebrating Advent as a family

For a few years I have wanted to celebrate Advent the proper way with a wreath and candles and starting on the last sunday in November.. but small children who happen to be pyromanics prevented me from such.. but this year I am going to try!

In the middle you can put any decorations you would like, I used gold baubles here

And a small nativity set

How to celebrate Advent ( I googled to find this out :)

Purchase or make an Advent Wreath. An Advent Wreath has 4 candles, 1 for each week. Sometimes a fifth candle is added in the center for lighting on Christmas Eve.

Decide as a family when you will observe your Advent traditions. Advent is celebrated on Sunday in churches, but you might find another day of the week that is less hectic for your own celebration.

Choose a reading for each week from the Bible that tells a portion of the story of the birth of Christ. The first should be from the Old Testament because it represents prophecy.

Gather your family around your wreath during the evening meal and light the first candle. Read the story you have chosen. Each week the first candle will be lighted first and so on until all 4 are shining on the fourth week.

Sing a Christmas Carol together after the reading. If your family doesn't like to sing, then have some music playing during the reading.

Say a prayer together after the reading and the song.

Allow the candle or candles to burn throughout the remainder of the evening meal.

And I found this which describes the meaning behind an Advent Wreath

The circular shape of the Advent wreath reminds us of God. Just as a circle has no beginning or end, He is eternal, without beginning or end. His love and mercy have no end. The greenery of the wreath speaks to the hope we have in God, the hope of newness and renewal, and the hope of eternal life.

The candles symbolize the light of God coming into the world through the birth of His Son. The light of the candles reminds us that Jesus is the light of the world that comes into the darkness of our lives to bring newness, life and hope. It also reminds us that we are called to be a light to the world as we reflect the light of God’s grace to others The four outer candles represent the period of waiting during the four weeks of Advent. These four candles also symbolize the waiting for four centuries between the life of the prophet Malachi and the birth of Jesus.

The four outer candles usually consist of three purple candles and one pink or rose candle. In the center of the wreath, is the white Christ Candle. The central location of the Christ candle reminds us of the central focus of Christ in our hearts and lives

Thanks for this explanation! I had encountered the celebration of Advent when I was living in Europe and was thinking recently I'd like to make it a tradition in our home, so this is really timely for me.

Hi Bobbie,great idea, we might try this for family home evenings for the next weeks to lead up to Christmas. We don't have a fancy shmancy wooden ring for the candles, but I'm sure I can hide the play dough base with enough tinsel!!thanks for this and many other great ideas!Jenny

Hi Bobbie,great idea, we might try this for family home evenings for the next weeks to lead up to Christmas. We don't have a fancy shmancy wooden ring for the candles, but I'm sure I can hide the play dough base with enough tinsel!!thanks for this and many other great ideas!Jenny